Device for the elastic mounting of a hydraulic unit in a motor vehicle braking system on a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A hydraulic unit ( 11 ) is elastically supported by means of elastomer elements ( 17, 18 ), through which bolts ( 15, 16 ) pass, on two legs ( 13, 14 ) of a mounting bracket ( 12 ) that extend perpendicular to one another. The leg ( 14 ) of the mounting bracket ( 12 ) has recesses, open counter to the mounting direction ( 45 ) of the unit ( 11 ), for receiving the elastomer element ( 18 ). With clamping means ( 34, 35, 36 ) disposed on the bolt ( 16 ), the elastomer element ( 18 ) is axially shortened and pressed against both the recess and side faces, located on either side of the recess, of the leg ( 14 ) of the mounting bracket ( 12 ). With the shortened elastomer element ( 18 ), a positive and nonpositive engagement with the leg ( 14 ) of the mounting bracket ( 12 ) is achieved.  
     The apparatus can be used in vehicles.

PRIOR ART

[0001] The invention is based on an apparatus as generically defined bythe preamble to claim 1.

[0002] One such apparatus is already known (German Patent Disclosure DE197 24 177 A1), which has a mounting bracket with one rib at the bottomand two legs protruding at right angles from the rib and spaced apartfrom one another. One bearing shell open at the top is embodied in eachof the legs. The rib, conversely, is provided with an upward-orientedbolt. A hydraulic unit of a vehicle brake system is inserted into themounting bracket from above. In the process, the bolt, with theinterposition of a bushlike elastomer element, engages a recess on theunderside of the unit. In the bearing shells of the legs, conversely,bushlike elastomer elements are received which are secured to two sidefaces, remote from one another, of the unit by means of screws. Forsecuring the position of the unit in the mounting bracket, the bearingshells have clips on their open side fitting over them that are securedwith detent engagement to the legs of the mounting bracket.

[0003] In the engine compartment of the vehicle, the mounting bracket ismounted on the body of the vehicle.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The apparatus of the invention having the characteristics ofclaim 1 has the advantage over the prior art that solely by deformationof the respective elastomer element, a positive and nonpositiveconnection is made between the hydraulic unit and the mounting bracket.Separate components for securing the position of the unit are thereforeunnecessary.

[0005] By the provisions recited in the dependent claims, advantageousrefinements of and improvements to the apparatus defined by claim 1 aredisclosed.

[0006] With the embodiment of the apparatus according to claim 2, athree-point mounting of the unit is created, in which the elastomerelements, received on the second leg of the mounting bracket, can beassociated with one end face of the unit, which contributes tominimizing the requisite installation space for the unit in the vehicle.

[0007] Expedient shapes for the elastomer element and the clamping meansare defined by dependent claims 3, 4 and 5.

[0008] With the refinement of the invention according to claim 6, acomponent group is created that can be installed and tested separatelyfrom the unit.

DRAWING

[0009] One exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in simplifiedform in the drawing and explained in further detail in the ensuingdescription.

[0010]FIG. 1, in a side view, shows an apparatus for elastic mounting ofa hydraulic unit of a vehicle brake system by means of a mountingbracket;

[0011]FIG. 2 shows a portion of the mounting bracket of a larger scale,seen in the direction of arrow II in FIG. 1;

[0012]FIG. 3 is a plan view on the portion of the mounting bracket,viewed in the direction of the arrow III in FIG. 2;

[0013]FIG. 4 is a section on a larger scale taken along the line IV-IVin FIG. 1 through axially braced fastening means of the unit; and

[0014]FIG. 5 shows the fastening means of FIG. 4 but as an unbracedcomponent unit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0015] An apparatus 10, shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing, for elasticmounting of a hydraulic unit 11 of a vehicle brake system, not otherwiseshown, has a mounting bracket 12, which as is only suggestedschematically in the drawing is solidly connected to a body of avehicle. The mounting bracket 12 has two legs 13 and 14, extendingperpendicular to one another, on which the unit 11 is supported by meansof elastomer elements 17 and 18 through which respective bolts 15 and 16pass. The bolt 15 located on the underside 19 of the unit 11 ispress-fitted over part of its length into this unit and passes throughthe hollow-cylindrical elastomer element 17. The latter is snapped intoan opening 20, in the form of an oval or elliptical oblong slot, in thefirst leg 13 that extends parallel to the underside 19 of the mountingbracket 12, the mounting bracket being embodied as a shaped sheet-metalpart. Two spaced-apart recesses 21 and 22 are embodied on the second leg14, which protrudes upward from the first leg 13 of the mounting bracket12; these recesses are symmetrical to a plane 23, extendingperpendicular to the plane of this leg 14, in which plane 23 the bolt 15and the oblong slot of the opening 20 extends with its longitudinal axis(FIGS. 2 and 3). The two recesses 21 and 22 have an approximatelycircular outline that is open at the top. In the region of the tworecesses 21, 22, the side faces 24 and 25 of the second leg 14 can beprovided with impressions 26, as schematically indicated in FIG. 2 forthe recess 22. The bolts 16 and elastomer elements 18, of which thereare two each, corresponding to the number of the two recesses 21 and 22,are structurally identical; the ensuing description therefore refers tothe components mounted in both places.

[0016] The bolt 16 has a longitudinally fluted press-fit peg 28, withwhich it is received nonrotatably with a press fit in a receiving bore29 of the unit 11 (FIG. 4). In a departure from the exemplaryembodiment, the peg 28 can be provided with a threaded portion, and thebolt 16 can be secured in the unit 11 by means of a screw connection.The press-fit peg 28 is adjoined by a larger-diameter plate 30 of thebolt 16, with which the bolt is braced axially on an end face 31 of theunit 11 extending perpendicular to the underside 19. The plate 30 isfollowed by a reduced-diameter portion 32, at which a screw shaft 33 ofstill further reduced diameter begins. The elastomer element 18, a bush36 with a flange 35, and a nut 36 are received on the bolt 16. Thesecomponents form a component group 37 serving as a fastening means forfastening the unit 11 to the second leg 14 of the mounting bracket; thiscomponent group can be preassembled in a form shown in FIG. 5 beforebeing mounted on the unit.

[0017] The elastomer element 18 joined to the bolt 16 has two endportions 38, 39 of equal diameter, which are joined by a middle portion40 of smaller diameter. As a result of this shaping, thehollow-cylindrical element 18 has an annular groove 41, extending allthe way around, whose diameter is greater by a certain extent at thebottom than the diameter of the respective recess 21 and 22 in thesecond leg 14 of the mounting bracket 12, and whose width is greaterthan the thickness of the second leg.

[0018] In the preassembled state, the elastomer element 18 is receivedaxially unbraced on the bolt 16 (FIG. 5). With its one end portion 38,it surrounds both the portion 32, fittingly engaging its inside crosssection, and the plate 30 of the bolt 16. The bush 34 slipped onto thebolt 16 has the same outer diameter as the portion 32 and passesfittingly through the other end portion 39 of the elastomer element 18.The flange 35 is adapted to the outside diameter of the elastomerelement 18. The bush 34 with the flange 35 and the nut 36 form clampingmeans with which the elastomer element 18 can be axially shortened (FIG.4).

[0019] As FIG. 5 clearly shows, the bush 34, adapted fittingly to theaxial length of the portion 39, is spaced apart from the portion 32 thattogether with the plate 30 extends axially over the length of the endportion 38 of the elastomer element 18. The result, in the unbracedstate of the elastomer element 18, is an annular gap 43, associated withthe middle portion 40 and enveloping the screw shaft 33 of the bolt 16,so that in the state during assembly shown in FIG. 5 the elastomerelement 18 yields radially inward in the region of its middle portion40.

[0020] For mounting the hydraulic unit 11 on the mounting bracket 12,the bolt 15 and two component groups 37, described above in conjunctionwith FIG. 5, and comprising the bolt 16, elastomer element 18, bush 34with flange 35, and nut 36, are joined to the unit 11. The elastomerelement 17, associated with the bolt 15 located on the underside of theunit 11, can be slipped onto the bolt, or it can already be snapped intothe opening 20 on the first leg 13 of the mounting bracket 12. The unit11 thus completed is lowered onto the mounting bracket 12 in themounting direction represented by an arrow 45 in FIG. 1. In the process,the bolt 15, which on its free end may have a beadlike thickened portionextending all the way around, engages the inside of the elastomerelement 17 (or, the elastomer element premounted on the bolt passesthrough the opening 20 in the leg 13). At the same time, the respectivecomponent group 37, comprising the bolt 16, elastomer element 18, andclamping means 34, 35, 36, is inserted into the associated recess 21 or22, which is open at the top, counter to the mounting direction. In theprocess, the middle portion 40 on the elastomer element 18 undergoes aradially inward deformation when the funnel-shaped orifice of the recess21 or 22 is overcome. Upon reaching the terminal position of the unit 11on the mounting bracket 12, the deformation of the middle portion 40 ofthe elastomer element 18 is largely undone again because of itsintrinsic elasticity.

[0021] Next, the respective nut 36 is tightened, so that the bush 34with the flange 35 experiences a longitudinal displacement on the screwshaft 33, and the elastomer element 18 experiences a bracing in theaxial direction, along with radial widening and axial shortening.Because of the axial shortening, the hydraulic unit 11 is displaced inthe direction of the second leg 14 of the mounting bracket 12. At thesame time, the elastomer element 18 is also displaced inside the opening20 in the direction of its longitudinal axis, but without losing itspositive engagement with the second leg 13 of the mounting bracket 12.

[0022] The screwing operation is concluded when the bush 34 strikes theportion 32 of the bolt 16. In this state, shown in FIG. 4, the annulargap 43 of the elastomer element 18 is completely filled by the portion32 of the bolt 16 and by the bush 34. The elastomer element 18 isdeformed in such a way that its middle portion 40, which is surroundedover more than half its circumference by the second leg 14 of themounting bracket 12, engages the inside of the respective recess 21 or22 with radial pressure. Conversely, the two end portions 38 and 39 ofthe elastomer element 18 engage the two side faces 24 and 25 of thesecond leg 14 with axial pressure. Because of the axial bracing of theelastomer element 18, a connection with the second leg 14 of themounting bracket 12 by both nonpositive and positive engagement is thusattained, which acts to reinforce the impression 26. With the leg of theunit 11 on the mounting bracket 12, which in terms of assemblytechnology can be favorably achieved, the transmission of interferingvibration of the unit to the vehicle body is largely averted.

1. An apparatus (10) for elastic mounting of a hydraulic unit (11) of avehicle brake system in a vehicle, having a mounting bracket (12), whichhas two legs (13, 14) extending at right angles to one another and onwhich the unit (11) is supported by means of elastomer elements (17, 18)through which bolts (15, 16) pass, of which a first bolt (15), extendingin the mounting direction (45) of the unit (11), is associated with thefirst leg (13), extending perpendicular to the mounting direction (45),of the mounting bracket (12), while the second leg (14) of the mountingbracket (12) has at least one recess (21, 22), open counter to themounting direction (45), for receiving an elastomer element (18) with anaxis extending perpendicular to the plane of the second leg (14),characterized by the following further characteristics: thehollow-cylindrical elastomer element (18) associated with the second leg(14) of the mounting bracket (12) has a reduced-diameter middle portion(40), which is placed in the recess (21, 22) of the second leg (14) ofthe mounting bracket (12); the middle portion (40) of the elastomerelement (18) is embraced over more than half its circumference by thesecond leg (14) of the mounting bracket (12); the elastomer element (18)associated with the second leg (14) of the mounting bracket (12) is bothradially widened and axially shortened by clamping means (34, 35, 36)disposed on a second bolt (16); the elastomer element (18) is pressedwith its middle portion (40) against the recess (21, 22) and with itsend portions (38, 39), adjoining the middle portion (40) on either side,against the two side faces (24, 25), defining the recess (21, 22), ofthe second leg (14) of the mounting bracket (12).
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, characterized in that two spaced-apart recesses (21, 22) forreceiving an elastomer element (18) are embodied on the second leg (14)of the mounting bracket (12) and are located symmetrically to a plane(23) in which the first bolt (15) extends.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1,characterized in that the second bolt (16) is press-fitted or screwedinto the unit (11) and, adjacent to the unit (11), has a portion (32)which engages the inside cross section of the elastomer element (18) andfrom which a smaller-diameter screw shaft (33) begins, on which screwshaft a bush (34) with a flange (35) and a nut (36), acting as clampingmeans, are received.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, characterized in thatthe bush (34) engages the inside cross section of the elastomer element(18), while the flange (35) is at least approximately equal in diameterto the elastomer element (18).
 5. The apparatus of claim 3,characterized in that the portion (32) toward the unit of the secondbolt (16) and the bush (34) have a length adapted to the end portions(38, 39) of the unshortened elastomer element (18), and the portion (32)of the second bolt (16) forms a stop for the bush (34).
 6. The apparatusof claim 3, characterized in that the second bolt (16), the elastomerelement (18), which is slipped with its second end portion (38) onto theportion (32), toward the unit, of the second bolt (16); the bush (34)and flange (35) engaging the other end portion (39) of the elastomerelement (18); and the nut (36) screwed onto the screw shaft (33) form acomponent group (37).
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, characterized in thatthe elastomer element (17) through which the first bolt (15) passes isreceived in an opening (20), made in the first leg (13) of the mountingbracket (12), that is shaped at least approximately as an oblong slotwhose longitudinal axis extends perpendicular to the plane of the secondleg (14) of the mounting bracket (12).